ATLANTA — The Atlanta Falcons say Mike Smith is everything they want in a head coach, no matter that he's never been one before.
The first test for Smith, the former Jacksonville defensive coordinator hired by Atlanta on Wednesday night, will be to outlast the 13-game stint of Bobby Petrino, the 2007 rookie coach who quit during the season to return to the college ranks.
"Mike possesses all of the key qualities we were looking for in a head coach," said general manager Thomas Dimitroff, in his first month on the job.
Dimitroff said the 48-year-old Smith, a 26-year NFL coaching veteran, "has strong experience with winning teams, a track record of success, a solid, smart approach to the game, and high character and integrity."
Smith, the Jaguars' defensive coordinator since 2003, had his second interview with the Falcons on Friday.
Smith said his emphasis on each side of the line will be the running game.
"My goal is to build a well-disciplined, hard-nosed football team that will be able to run the football on offense and stop the run on defense," Smith said. "I've always believed that's what makes championship teams."
Falcons quarterback Byron Leftwich was with Smith in Jacksonville for four years.
"I've played against his defense more than anybody in the world," Leftwich said. "I did it every day in practice for four years. I think he's a great guy for the job.
"A lot of people might not know his name, but I've seen the work he puts in every game, how guys were so prepared on Sundays that they knew exactly what teams were going to do."
Smith will be Atlanta's sixth coach since December 2003. Before Petrino quit, Dan Reeves and Jim Mora were fired. Wade Phillips and Thomas worked three games each as interim replacements.
3 DALLAS ASSISTANTS JOIN DOLPHINS: New Miami Dolphins coach Tony Sparano hired three assistants Wednesday from his former team, the Dallas Cowboys. Joining Miami were Paul Pasqualoni as defensive coordinator, Todd Bowles as assistant head coach and secondary coach, and Kacy Rodgers as defensive line coach. All worked in Dallas with Sparano, who was the Cowboys' assistant head coach before taking the Miami job last week.
CAMERON TO RUN RAVENS' OFFENSE: Cam Cameron, coming off a 1-15 season as head coach of the Dolphins, was hired Wednesday as offensive coordinator of the Baltimore Ravens. Cameron, 46, was fired by Miami earlier this month. His only victory came against the Ravens. He's the first assistant hired by new Ravens coach John Harbaugh. Cameron was the San Diego Chargers' offensive coordinator for five seasons before his one-year stint in Miami. In 2006, the Chargers led the NFL in scoring with 492 points.
PRO BOWL REDSKINS TO WEAR NO. 21:Sean Taylor, the first player voted posthumously to the Pro Bowl, will have his jersey number worn at the game by two of his former Washington Redskins teammates. The NFL announced Wednesday that tight end Chris Cooley and tackle Chris Samuels will both wear No. 21 at the game Feb. 10 in Honolulu. Taylor died No. 27, a day after being shot at his home in Florida. Cooley and Samuels will each wear his own name on the back of the jersey, above the No. 21. The jerseys will be auctioned after the game, with the proceeds benefiting the Sean Taylor Memorial Trust Fund.
BENGALS HIRE LB COACH: Jeff FitzGerald was hired by the Cincinnati Bengals on Wednesday as linebackers coach, a role he held at Baltimore the last three seasons. FitzGerald follows former Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer to the Bengals as coach Marvin Lewis works on a struggling defense. The Bengals missed the playoffs the last two seasons.
CHIEFS PROMOTE BICKNELL: The Kansas City Chiefs on Wednesday hired two new coaches and promoted Bob Bicknell to offensive line coach. The Chiefs made Curtis Modkins their running backs coach and added Joe D'Alessandris to the staff as assistant offensive line coach.
WILSON FILES PROTECTIVE ORDER: Pittsburgh Steelers receiver Cedrick Wilson has obtained a protection-from-abuse order against his girlfriend, who is charged with firing two shots in the player's home, a team spokesman said. Lindsey Paulat, 26, is charged with aggravated assault and reckless endangerment in the incident Saturday. She remained in custody Wednesday, and her family has said they will not comment on the case.
EX-COLT PLEADS TO POT CHARGE: Former Indianapolis Colts defensive back Dexter Reid was acquitted Wednesday of a charge of carrying a concealed weapon and convicted of a drug charge. Reid pleaded guilty to possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute, prosecutor Sara Chandler said. Sentencing was set for April 22 in Virginia Beach Circuit Court. The felony carries a punishment of one to 10 years in prison.
FORMER TITAN IMPROVES: Former Tennessee Titans defensive tackle Rien Long has improved to stable condition after he crashed his sports car into a rock wall while driving onto an interstate. Nashville police said the 26-year-old Long was driving too fast down an on-ramp to Interstate 40 near downtown just before midnight Monday.